If you like your Apple rumors vague and unsubstantiated, we’ve got a real doozy for you this fine Monday. A Japanese Mac-centric tech blog has suggested that as early as the end of this year, the Mac lineup may be quite different from what it is today, suggesting that they could even take another name entirely.

AppleInsider is reporting on a “vague rumor” out of Apple’s Asian supply chain, with an anonymous source claiming Cupertino may soon introduce radically different Macs that could even be marketed “under a new brand or product name altogether.”

According to Macotakara.jp, component suppliers are already gearing up to produce new Macs that are “absolutely different from current products,” which could be released as early as the end of 2011.

The scant, anonymous rumor offers no further details, although it’s got us wondering if the website could be referring to the forthcoming Mac Pro redux, the lone holdout of the Mac lineup that hasn’t received an upgrade with Intel Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt I/O. Recent rumors have suggested that Apple will finally discard the aging big-box casing on the Mac Pro, going with something more rack-mountable in an effort to push former Xserve customers toward OS X Lion Server.

The rumor also seems to run counter to others suggesting the MacBook Pro line may get slimmed down and lose the optical drive similar to the MacBook Air. As AppleInsider notes, Macotakara.jp has a hit or miss track record with Apple rumors, although the site did accurately predict both the iPhone 5 delay to the fall as well as the iPad 2 introduction back in March.

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